In production paint settings, paint is applied to a workpiece using a rotary atomizer having an atomizer bell that spins at high speeds to atomize the paint being applied to the workpiece. This type of paint application device, in combination with generating an electrostatic field, has produced high quality paint finishes along with high paint transfer efficiencies. Generally, an atomizer bell is affixed to a rotating shaft that transfers rotational movement at high speed to the atomizer bell. A shaft receives rotational movement from a turbine or equivalent motor transferred through gears as is known in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,508.
The rotating shaft and related drive mechanisms are generally concealed inside an atomizer housing where the shaft includes a distal end extending outwardly onto which the atomizer bell is affixed. As part of general production maintenance, the atomizer bell is typically removed from the assembly for cleaning or replacement with a new atomizer bell. This has generally been difficult to perform because the rotating shaft does not allow for the easy removal of the atomizer bell from the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,508 discloses one method of securing a rotatable shaft by affixing a push pin locking device to the housing of the atomizer. However, the drive mechanism of the disclosed rotary atomizer is quite complex requiring several gears to translate rotational movement to the atomizer bell. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a compact simplified turbine design eliminating gear mechanisms while still providing the ability to lock the rotating shaft for easy removal of the atomizer bell.